King and His Fortresses: Frederick the Great and Prussian Permanent

King and His Fortresses: Frederick the Great and Prussian Permanent Fortifications 1740-1786

The King and His Fortresses describes Prussian fortifications during the reign of Frederick the Great - the historical background, the experience of attacking the fortresses captured by the Prussian king, and the theory of fortification. At the book's core are two extensive chapters describing the fortresses built and modernized by the Prussians in two periods - 1740-1756 and 1763-1786, separated by the Seven Years War. The King and His Fortresses provides a comprehensive overview of Prussian fortifications during the reign of Frederick the Great. The first three chapters briefly describe the Prussian state, European fortification in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, and the state of Prussian fortifications when Frederick the Great took power. Chapter four details Frederick the Great's experience in fortress warfare, including his education in the field, the fortress exercises he conducted during peacetime, and the sieges he led or observed. Chapter five covers Prussian fortification theory during the Frederician period, including both the king's own ideas and the texts written by his engineers. The heart of the book lies in chapters six and seven, which describe the fortresses built and modernized by Frederick the Great.